OC tax drops slightly

By Greg Bird
birdman@tmcvoice.com

Collections for the McCreary County Occupational Tax dipped slightly in December, the fifth month of the fiscal year where collections were behind the previous year, perhaps indicating a weakening economy locally.
According to figures released by McCreary County Judge Executive Jimmie “Bevo” Greene’s office, December saw a total of $36,220 collected, with $24,147 dedicated to the General Fund and $12,073 going in to the Jail Fund. General Fund receipts saw a decrease of less than $2,000 from last year when $26,059 was brought in for the month. The total is about $600 above collections from two years ago. It is still well above the average collections for December over the past six years of about $15,000 for the month.
The six-month total collections for the year amount to $495,061, about $1,000 below last year’s total after December. Collections are about $5,000 over totals from the 2016-17 fiscal year.
With an average collection rate of $85,510 for the first half of the fiscal year, this marked the first time the projected year-end total falls below the $1 million anticipated in the annual budget, with an estimated $990,122 to be collected if the average continues.
Typically, however, the last two quarters of the fiscal year bring in higher-than average collections, which should ensure the $1 million budget goal is met.
For the first six months of the fiscal year $247,500 has been added to the Jail Fund through the additional half percent added to the tax in 2017.